I’m still shaking my head after reading this article in today’s Oklahoman, the hometown paper of Oklahoma City.
John Rohde, seen here
is one of the Oklahoman’s sports columnists. One thing that surprises me is that this article, blatantly in favor of getting the Hornets back to OKC (or at least wishing them there), would be allowed to be published in the Oklahoman. Why am I surprised? The paper is owned by the Gaylord family, Clayton Bennett’s in-laws (and his sister-in-law and wife are heavily involved in the day to day operations of the news outlet).
Then again, maybe the tone of the article was to keep Oklahomans from thinking about the "negotiating, stonewalling, manipulating, bickering and e-mailing" that he says have "grown tiresome", but which are going to be at the center of the compliance hearing in the New York District Court (Federal) within the next several days.
Very little has been said about the issue of the current Sonics’ ownership group’s breach of contract (for failing to negotiate in good faith/keep the team in Seattle as agreed to in the side letter which was required of them before Howard Schultz and the previous ownership group would agree to sell to them–and the black and white proof of their perfidy) in the Oklahoma paper.
Well, OK, that is not totally true. There is a vocal group of Oklahomans who comment on the Oklahoman’s fan forums who say that Seattle fans have no right to be upset that Bennett lied to Seattle AND to David Stern, and that we should all shut up and stop being such crybabies–accepting meekly the purloining of a franchise that has been in this city for 41 years, and is not likely to prosper in its change to a considerably smaller market. (There are, however, a few of them who realize that Bennett, McClendon and Ward made a mistake which is likely to come back and bite them in the tuchis, and which is embarrassing to a good many Oklahomans).
Depositions begin this week. Bennett, McClendon and Ward will be deposed, as will OKC City Manager Tom Couch, Mayor Mick Cornett and a host of others who were secretly negotiating with the PBC during the time that Bennett was required to be negotiating with Seattle alone. If you haven’t read the e-mails and the city of Seattle’s brief in support of the motion to compel, you should. They make for very interesting reading.
Both Clayton Bennett and David Stern have taken refuge behind the "no comment" screen, something they probably should have done nearly two years ago.
Finally, Steve Kelley has said it much better than I ever could, right here.
Check back from time to time, gentle readers, for updates and further episodes of As the Stomach Turns.
